Fa La la la, lalalala

MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2011

I love Christmas. I love the music, the different smells that it brings. The love. The spirit of giving.

The movies. And of course the events that lead up to the very special day!

***My kids hate Santa. I mean.. they really, really hate him.

Cole likes that he brings him toys, but to sit on his lap, and tell him what toys to bring him? Not happening.

Tonka - she also refused to sit on St. Nick's lap.

So when the Santa float came through the neighborhood, the only thing my kids took advantage of were the candy canes. The very delicious, sticky candy canes!

Another Christmas Happening was the departments annual Christmas party. Dressing up and attending something that involves a sit down meal, and a DJ.. and not having to pack color crayons and diapers... well, you don't have to ask me twice.

Only this year, a nasty eye infection that would last for well over a week happened this night. Initially I thought I might have scratched it. Three or four days later - and not being able to open it, was when I realized it definitely wasn't the result of a scratch!

Thankfully the photo is kind of blurry! =)

Attending the party with my closest friends was the best part of the night!

Exactly a week later, the girls and I treated eachother to dinner. And yes, eye infection was worse by this point!

***

Something thats not Christmas, but just simply beautiful.

****

I tend to ramble on about my past, but its what has linked me to the core of my present being, and I can't help but talk about it.

Although there are somethings in my past I'd like to erase completely, there are many others things I hold on to tightly. Those things are tucked in a safe place in my heart. They are pulled out on days like these. Days when I especially miss my Mom. Days when I wish she were here. Days when I close my eyes and it takes me right to my bedroom on 248th Street.

The more that time passes me, the more quiet my Mom's voice is becoming. Some days are better then others, but for the most part, I'm sad to admit that its hard for me to hear her. But, what has yet to disappear, is her laugh. Her laugh was so distinct. Maybe because it was loud! Maybe because I made fun of it. Maybe because I laugh almost exactly like her.

Christmas Eve

Baby Blue

Merry almost Christmas!

Growing up, my Dad recorded everything! Every birthday. Every vacation sunset. Every Christmas. So you can imagine watching these, how boring it can get. Gift after gift. And really, how different can one sunset be from the next?

I love being able to go back to those videos. Being able to hear her voice.

Her sweet voice running through my ears and into my body. Closing my eyes and soaking it in.Letting my soul take me back to those days when it was just me and my sisters, with our Mom and Dad. When the only thing we had was eachother. And that was always good enough.

***** In the early morning, before the sun rose, Cole crawled into bed with us. Thankfully he didn't realize the gifts that had been laid out only a couple hours before. He quickly fell back to sleep.

When he woke again, before he realized it was Christmas morning, I had a minute to watch him. Laying face to face with your baby. Its the greatest gift the world can ever give. Its powerful, emotional, and sometimes even unbelievable.. all wrapped up into one.